Jacksonville area experiencing increase in child drownings and near drownings

Child drownings and near drownings are increasing in the Jacksonville area, according to DCF.

Over the last week, two children died after being found unresponsive in pools.

Two others have been rescued, including a 19-month-old on the Westside Wednesday.

All the children involved have been under the age of five.

“He was mine and he was my baby,” says Amber Caudill.

Another family is grieving the loss of a child who drowned.

Ethan Brander, 4, was found unresponsive Sunday in Clay County, and later died in the hospital.

On Monday, Action News Jax reported the death of a toddler who was found unresponsive in a Nassau County pool.

Deputies say a 16-year-old girl was babysitting the 18-month-old who they believe got out of the house through a doggie door.

On Wednesday, a close call for one family on the Westside when a 19-month-old was pulled from a pool after a family members says her little brother accidentally left the door open.

The little girl was rushed to the hospital, and is expected to be okay.

More small children drown in Florida than in any other state and DCF says there’s been a recent spike.

“There are so many people in our city that do not know how to swim,” says Garrett Dennis, a city council member.

Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties have all had drownings or near drownings in June.

“It’s an issue, it’s an epidemic, it’s a crisis that we are having in our city,” says Dennis.

For months city council member Garrett Dennis has been asking for money to offer swimming lessons to more than six thousand kids.

“And that didn’t get the support I needed from the council,” he says.

But Dennis says Mayor Lenny Curry has stepped up.

“And he’s offering to put an item on the budget next year for year round swimming lessons and drowning prevention,” he says.

In the meantime, heartbroken families are reminding others to, “protect your pools, Keep your fences up. Watch your babies because any second they can be gone,” says Caudill.

The city council did approve $25,000, which will go towards two weeks of free swimming lessons for about 1,600 kids.

Cox Media Group